Log-canter



ROBERT WEIR, OF MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN.

LOG-CANTE R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 233,306, dated October12, 1880.

' Application filed July 2, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT WEIR, rcsid ing at Muskegon, in the county ofMuskegon and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Log-Centers; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and toletters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in log-canters, consisting inthe attach mentof certain devices thereto, by which it is enabled toroll logs from the log-deck of a saw-mill onto the carriage.

In carrying out this invention I affix to the stiles or uprights of thelog-canter two brackets. .Inthese brackets a vertical shaft or spindleis journaled, upon which, between the brackets, is secured a doubleincline. To the top of the spindle is secured a segmental wheel orpulley, through which the spindle, with its inclines, may be partiallyrotated. When the inclines are in line with ghe toothed bar which movesthe log they act upon its lower end beneath its fulcrum, causing itsupper part, which comes in contact with the log, to have a much greaterhorizontal range of motion than the lower end, enabling it to reach backbehind a log on the deck and roll it forward toward the carriage; butwhen thelogis in place upon the head blocks of the carriage the spindle,with its inclines, is turned toone side, and the canter, uncontrolled byit, performs its usual function of turning the log upon the head-blocks.

To more fully understand its construction and operation, I will nowproceed to describe the drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a side view of alog-canter, with sections of the log-deck and saw-carriage. Fig. 2 is arear view of the canter and its operative mechanism. Fig.3 is ahorizontal section on the line a: m of Fig. 2.

In Fig. 1, A represents thelog-deck, which is preferably constructedwith a slight inclination toward the saw carriage, the logsbeingprevented, if necessary, from rolling toward the carriage, as theywould doif they wereperfectly straight and round, by a chock or othersuitable means.

Running upon rails parallel with the edge of the log-deck, and adjacentthereto, is the saw-carriage B, upon which the head-blocks O, thatsupport the logs during the operation of sawing, are placed. Beneath thelogdeck are placed the two parallel upright stiles or guides D D, whichsupport the operative mechanism of the canter, and son eas guides forthe cross-head E, which has a vertical sliding movement upon them.Pivoted to this cross-head is the toothed bar or canter F, the pivot bywhich it is attached to the cross-head serving as a fulcrum, upon whichthe bar oscillates. Secured t0 the rear of the bar F is a bracket, G, tothe outer end of which is attached the rope or chain a, passing over thesheave H to the winding-drum I, which is put in motion by the mechanismcommonly employed for that purpose.

The bifurcated brackets J J are attached to the stiles or guide-posts DD, and form a support for the vertical shaft K, which is journaledtherein. Upon this shaft, between the brackets, is secured the doubleincline L, which, when in the position shown in Fig. 1, forms aguideupon which the friction-wheel b, journaled in bracket M, secured to thelower end of the toothed bar F, runs. It will be evident that as thishearing is beneath the pivotal point or fulcrum upon which the baroscillates, as the bar rises, its upper end will be thrown back untilthe friction-roller b reaches the apex of the incline, when its movementwill be reversed, and as it continues to rise its upper end will moveforward toward the saw-carriage, causin g the log upon the log-deck tobe rolled onto the head-blocks of the carriage.

When it is desired to use the canter simply for turning logs upon thehead-blocks the shaft K is turned part way'around, which carries theinclines to one side out of the path of the friction-roller I), thusallowing the bar F to move up and down without interference. In order togive this turning motion to the shaft K a peripherally-grooved segmentalwheel, N, is secured to the upper end thereof, around which passes therope 01, one end of said rope running over the guide-pulley c andcarrying the weight 0, while the opposite end passes under theguide-pulley e, and thence up into a convenient position for theoperator. It will be apparent that a pull upon the rope will swingaround the incline into the position shown in Fig. 1, and when the ropeis released it will be drawn by the weight into the position shown inFig.3, the extent of its movement in either direction being governed bythe stops h h,forined upon the segment-wheel, which, as the wheel turnsin either direction, comes in contact with the upper bracket, J. Thesedevices might be displaced by others having the same functionviz.,turning the incline into and out of line with bar F-without departingfrom the spirit of my invention.

I am aware that substantially the same result as that obtained by theuse of my apparatus has been accomplished by means of a cam operatingupon an inclined plate secured to the toothed bar, in connection withsuitably-arranged ropes and pulleys; but this I do not claim.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In combination with the moving bar ofan apparatus for canting logs, the shaft K and double incline L, mountedin brackets JJ,and the meansdescribed for imparting to said shaft andincline a semi-rotating or swinging movement, substantially asspecified.

2. In an apparatus for canting logs, the toothed bar F, provided withbracket M and friction-roll b, in combination with the swingin g doubleincline L, for the purpose of imparting an oscillatory movement to saidbar, substantially as described.

3. In combination with the moving bar of an apparatus for cauting logs,the shaft K and double incline L, mounted in brackets J J, thesegment-Wheel N, pulleys 0 e, and rope d, having weight 0, for impartinga swinging movement to said shaft and incline and an oscillatorymovement to the bar, substantially as set forth.

4. In an apparatus for oanting logs, the combination of the toothed barF, pivoted to the slidiu g cross head E, between the upright guides D D,and provided below its fulcrum with the bracket M and friction'roll b,the shaft K, and double incline L, mounted in brackets J J, thesegment-wheel N, pulleys c e, and weighted rope d, all constructed andarranged for the purpose of imparting an oscillatory movement to saidbar, or leaving it free to move in a vertical direction, substantiallyas shown and described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT WEIR.

Witnesses:

GILBERT MEE, W. F. CHRYSTAL.

